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City councillors gave their stamp of approval Monday on a pilot project to relocate a bunch of rare snakes to Canatara Park.

The endangered Butler’s garter snake currently lives on a prime piece of waterfront in Point Edward that local developers are anxious to build on.

But the rare snake habitat on the so-called “spit lands” is protected and cannot be developed unless the snakes move.

Sarnia’s Canatara Park is only a few kilometres away and a number of Bulter’s garter snakes already live there.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Cantaqleigh Investments have proposed a “translocation” plan to try moving the spit lands snakes in Point Edward to join the others in Sarnia’s Canatara Park.

City council agreed to the project on the condition that all expenses are picked up by Cantaqleigh Investments.

MANY UNKNOWNS FOR LEGACY PROJECT

City staff attempted to pinpoint where the city’s $1 million share of the $5-million legacy project will come from on Monday. But it’s still not set in stone.

A staff report from finance director Brian McKay said the city has a land purchase reserve with $1,081,150 in it. That’s cash received by the city when lands are sold and is usually tucked away in a reserve account for future land purchases.

But Coun. Anne Marie Gillis had reservations. She said it’s not clear what the costs of the legacy project proposed for the city’s 100th anniversary in 2014 will actually be.

“I’m not in favour of emptying out that account,” she said. “I want restrictions on removing money from that reserve.”

Coun. Mike Kelch is council’s representative on the legacy committee and he agreed.

“I think this report is premature,” he said. “There are too many questions yet.” No one is asking for a specific amount of money at this time, Kelch added.

“You can’t toss this money around,” said Coun. Andy Bruziewicz. “Land purchase is what it’s for. I have some objections.”

McKay wrote the report after council asked him to come up with a legacy funding strategy.

Meanwhile, in other legacy project news, Coun. Dave Boushy has a “novel” idea.

He suggested during Monday’s meeting that the legacy committee might want to consider incorporating a small library in their elaborate waterfront plan.

He also said the committee should invite Prince William and his wife Kate to the celebrations in 2014.

CONSERVATION AUTHORITY BUDGET

The 2013 budget at the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority is projected to be $5.5 million, city council learned Monday.

The 17 municipalities that belong to the conservation authority will share $631,915 of that cost.

Sarnia will be asked to contribute $389,637, which includes $13,750 toward an erosion control project at Bright’s Grove; $2,000 toward erosion control at Sarnia Bay; $77,500 toward an erosion control study at Sarnia Bay; $8,550 toward the Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area; and $25,718 toward 3D watershed mapping.